Shinobu's Journal
by Shinobu Seta
Summary: Shinobu's journal is my first work of Phantasy Star fanfiction. It's a story of a young Newman and her friends as they struggle to become Hunter's in a world that always seems to be changing around them.
1. Introduction

Coral, a once peaceful and prosperous planet, was facing it's own destruction after being struck by a mysterious meteor from another solar system. The already over populated planet's ecosystem was being slowly poisoned by the mysterious energy that filled the meteor, later to be named Photon. Coral was dying, with a final expectancy of merely 20 or so years. 

In an act of desperation, the planetary government of Coral dispatched probes into deep space in search of a new home for their people. After nearly losing all hope, a single probe submitted information of an almost 100 percent compatible world, with an environment almost identicle to Coral's. Ironically, the new planet, dubbed Ragol, was found along the same path of the meteor that struck Coral's surface.

With no choice and no time left, the government imediately initializes the Pioneer project, which would allow them to migrate safely to the new world. Over the course of the next year, Pioneer 1 was successfully constructed, with the purpose of traveling to the new world and constructing the new colony. Pioneer 1 dispatched to the Ragol solar system, giving an estimate of 10 years for arrival, and another few for the initial construction of the colony.

During the remaining years of Coral's life, the government studies the new Photon energy diligently, later discovering it's fantastic properties as an energy source when contained properly. It is discovered that Photon energy resides in the cells of all living and non living matter. It had always been around, but never in such a great quantity.

With the final years of the planet approaching, the star ship Pioneer 2 is completed with the job of moving the majority of Coral's refugees to Ragol. Using the new Photon energy, the production and dispatch of Pioneer 2 is completed much earlier than expected, with a new estimated time of arival at 7 years.

After completeting it's tiring 7 year journey, Pioneer 2 finally reached the Ragol solar system and initiated it's slow orbit around the new home world, Ragol. The people of Pioneer 2 joined in celebration and relief as they were finally able to gaze out at the surface of their new home.

However, All would not go as smoothly as planned. As Pioneer 2 attempted to establish communication with the Pioneer 1 colony, a massive, violent explosion rocked the surface of Ragol. The hope and relief of the refugees soon turns to fear and panic. Over the course of the next few days, Pioneer 2 continues their attempts to contact the surface to no avail. It was as if every man and woman of Pioneer 1 had dissapeared without a trace.

Having exhausted every option available from space, the government realized that it was time to dispatch someone to the surface for a hands on investigation. Unfortunately, the majority of Coral's military and police were dispatched aboard Pioneer 1. Having only enough police to carry out the duties needed on Pioneer 2, the government was forced to hire Hunters, bounty hunters and mercenaries who take any job as long as it pays enough Meseta. The government quickly posts their jobs and instructions at the Hunter's Guild, making these tasks open to anyone brave enough to take them.

Much time passes, and through the information collected by the Hunters, the government discovers that the surface of Ragol is nothing like the initial reports returned by the probe. Ragol was a world inhabited mostly by savage beasts and mutants, but if that was the case, how was the crew of Pioneer 1 able to construct the colony?

Years and years pass with Pioneer 2 still moving silently in orbit over Ragol. Generations of Coral pass on, their children grow into adults and then the first children of Pioneer 2 are born. The government continues to put more faith in the Hunter's Guild for support as they fight a seemingly endless battle to clear Ragol's surface of monsters in order to make it livable. Eventually a Hunter's Academy is established for the soul purpose of training more Hunter's for the task.

The people of Pioneer 2 still long to touch the surface of Ragol, however they have become accustomed to life amongst the stars. The future of Ragol and Pioneer 2 is sensitive as the government tries to deal with the problems of Ragol and the mixed judgements of it's people.

There is no single hero. We all have our place in shaping the future. The softest breath has the potential to become a pleasant spring wind, or the destructive energy of a hurricane. It is our choice to either create or destroy, as a young female Newman and her friends will discover...


	2. Entry 1

Dear Diary,

I'm not quite sure how to begin this, so I'll just introduce myself. My name is Shinobu Seta, I'm 4 years old, though my body resembles that of a 17 year old human girl. I'm the first born Newman child of Tobius and Lilian Seta, both Forces. I'm sure they were pretty surprised when my status report came back telling them I'd be a hunter.

Today was my birthday, so I got to visit home in the residential area and see Mom and Dad. You were one of my presents! That's why I'm writing in you now, Daddy said that it would be a good idea to keep track of my progress. Momma agreed, but I think Mamoru thought it was silly. I was really surprised to see Mamoru at my parent's house. It was strange, I'll tell you why...

Mamoru is my personal instructor. He's a tall hunter with long silver hair and distant blue eyes, almost like he's always thinking about something else. Every student at the academy is assigned a higher level hunter to guide them once they reach my level. The principal feels that at this age, there has been enough study and it is time for some real action! I agree somewhat, but I miss studying too... Anyway, until my birthday party, I never thought of Mamoru as anything more than a teacher, but after that, I realized that he's a close friend of the family. Maybe that was why I was paired with him...

Daddy told me that at one point both he and Momma did some training under Mamoru! I had no idea he was that much older than them, he looks so young. Daddy told me that he's part newman, so it makes sense that he looks so young. He doesn't have long pointy ears, though... Anyway, they told me that they learned their hand to hand combat skills from Mamoru, and their magic instruction came from a lady named Presea.

It was fun hearing about their old stories and adventures. It was kind of weird how Mamoru called Daddy "Toby" all the time. I thought that Toby was Mom's pet name for Tobius. When I tried to call Daddy Toby they all shot me glares... The party was still fun though, and I got lots of neat stuff.

Daddy gave me this digital journal (you ) and a DB's SABER.

Momma got me all of the basic level Disks and a cute pink battle suit.

Mamoru gave me a big ol' Mag called an Asparas. I was blown away at it's size. "I know it's big and clunky, but it'll give you more than enough of a power boost to wield that sword your father gave you" he said.

"Isn't that the Mag you trained us with?" Momma asked.

Mamoru nodded and then she got all sentimental over it, telling me that I'd better not break it, or use it's photon blast too much. She's crazy sometimes, but I love her.

That was it for my birthday though, tomorrow I start my first day of physical combat training with Mamoru. I'm not so nervous about it now that I know his connection to my parent's past. Wish me luck! I'll tell you all about it tomorrow.

Until then,  
Shinobu 


	3. Entry 2

Dear Diary,

Training is hard! We'd read about the forest a lot in school, about the climate and the flora and fauna. The forest was a beautiful place, but I had no idea it would be so hot! Maybe it was from Momma's battle suit she got me, and the fact that we were running so fast for so far. Even with Mamoru's Asparas equiped I could hardly carry Daddy's sword.

"Just keep swinging, every time you do it'll feel more and more comfortable. Eventually it'll be light as a feather" Mamoru said.

I don't know about that, my arms are still numb from that thing. I thought Mamoru would be an easier teacher from what I saw at the party last night, but I misjudged. I asked him if he would use Resta on me so I wouldn't have to take the Monomate and he got mad.

"You have to get used to it, because you never know when you'll find yourself without TP. The mates are good for you, and you shouldn't count them out of your arsenal."

I hate the way they feel though when it shoots through your body. It's so fast and cold...it heals you all right, but it just feels so alien. He also made me kill every enemy that came into our attack zone. Basically all he did was monitor my technique and make sure I was performing to standard. I would like to see him fight sometime though, I wonder if he ever has to struggle?

By the end of the day it started to rain. More meaner looking Boomas started to appear then too. I hate Boomas...they look so enraged and you can feel the heat of their breath from a mile off. Their fur always smells like feces too... Their meat is tough, and I could feel it making me stronger the more I had to fight. I don't like to kill things, but Mamoru says it's the only way we can purge the mutated creatures from Ragol. We still don't know the cause of them, why they're so freaky and tormented looking, or why they're so hostile.

The sun was going down, and I could barely move my limbs. "Let's check your level" Mamoru said. I looked at my wrist monitor and it said level 8! I was so happy! He was pleased too, and said that we could call it a day. "Tomorrow we're going to hunt a dragon though" ...

We parted ways and then I decided to go hang out for a while in the student lobby. I was nervous to meet everyone, I'm not good with strangers. There are quite a few loud and rude students in the lobbies after school hours, but it's fun none the less.

Right now I'm back in my room. There's another side with another bed for another student, but they've still not put anyone in here with me yet, so it does get kinda lonely sometimes. sigh I think I'll go over my text book for a little while and then go ahead and get in the bed. I need sleep for my next session with Mamoru tomorrow

Until next time,  
Shinobu 


	4. Entry 3

Dear Diary,

Today's training went by a lot smoother than yesterday. We fought through the forest again, and I had a new confidence that made the boomas a piece of cake. Mamoru was impressed, but my real test was the dragon. Earlier in the day Mamoru had started tracking it's signal and discovered that it had made it's home in one of the old domes to the west. We trekked in that direction for an hour or so and finally found a way inside.

I was shocked! I freaked out, I dropped my weapon, I cried. Mamoru helped me get it together though. He grabbed the front of my shirt and pulled me to my feet, "get it together! You can do it, you're better than this!" he yelled, and then tossed me in the general direction of the dragon. (gee thanks... )

The way it moved, it seemed like it couldn't see me because I was so short. I went straight for it's legs, trying to cut it's ham string. We read in school that the best way to take down a dragon was from the bottom up, to take out it's legs and then strike the head. Who ever wrote our text books knew what they were talking about!

Mamoru just kind of watched as the dragon fell and then I went for the head. Eventually I caused enough blows kill the beast. He later said that it looked like I had becomed enraged, although I don't remember it. 

I got two more level ups, putting me at 10! Tomorrow Mamoru said that I was ready to head into the lower caves of Ragol. He wouldn't guide me any longer, but instead he would monitor me closely from the Control Center.

"Fighting with me there is one thing, but you also have to find your own confidence too. That's something only you can do by yourself." he said.

After training was over we headed to the lobby to relax and discuss my performance. I got to meet one of Mamoru's good friends, Chibiusa, a Newman Force. She's really cute and really tiny. She wears her hair similar to mine, pink and in high pony tails. She wears a tiny purple FOnewearl dress and resembles a 5 to 7 year old human girl.

After that Mamoru and Chibiusa left together to Ragol. I can only imagine what kind of beasts they fight at their level. It's strange though that Mamoru still fights. A lot of Hunters become instructors in order to get out of fighting. The principal government dictates that we must always fight because of our superior genes, so teaching others to fight would be the only way out of actually fighting yourself, I guess. Mamoru chooses to continue fighting though. I wonder what he is searching for or what he seeks to accomplish. Maybe I'll ask him one day if I have the courage.

Time to go, until tomorrow!

Until then,  
Shinobu 


	5. Entry 4

Dear Diary,

My training was canceled today... When I went to meet Mamoru, he was dressed in some heavier sort of armor and he acted much more serious. He told me that we'd have to cancel it today because he recieved some orders from the principal government. Being a student, I know I'm not supposed to know about things like that, but I'm hoping he'll tell me about it later anyway.

I was too nervous to go train by myself for some reason, so I went back to my dorm room and studied. I know being a hunter calls for me to know more physical combat, but Momma's magic books are so interesting! I can do all of the spells she gave me on my birthday now, but I know I'll never be as amazing as she is at them.

I got to talk to Mom on the communicator the other day. I asked her more about everyone's past. I learned of a messy love triangle between her, Mamoru, Daddy, and the lady named Presea...wouldn't that be a love square? It seems that when they were all young and in training, Dad had taken a heavy crush over Presea and Mom was in love with Mamoru. She doesn't know if their trainer's feelings were mutual or not, but she did tell me that Mamoru and Presea were very much in love! That sounded to me like it would be a very painful thing to accept. She said, "well honey, it was...until I met your father." One day Mamoru and Presea were called on assignment and had to leave for a few days, leaving them with nothing to do. One really late night, neither could sleep and they bumped into each other in the student dormitory lobby by chance.

"Tobius looked so sad and longing...I guess I was too. He lacked all sorts of confidence because of his thing for Presea. He was so intelligent and handsome though, I wondered if I could ever make him see it."

She said they talked for hours and hours, until the sun come up! Eventually in the early hours, Dad got up enough courage to ask her out on a Date. Way to go! I'll bet I sound silly cheering on the past...I can't help it, if I don't, I wouldn't be here!

I still don't know much about Presea though. Mom said she would show me a picture the next time I visit. I don't know why she just doesn't send it through digital wave to me. "Hush...you know me and those technical things don't get along" she says.

Their story put me in such a nostalgic mood for some reason. I thought I would wander the dorms and try to find the spot where they met. Unfortunately, she never told me where that was, and this plays is huge! I did meet Chibiusa wandering around though. She looked like she had been doing some fighting of her own. Maybe that's why she was up so late. We went over to one of the observation windows to look out over Ragol. We talked for a long time... about the school, the training, and about the government.

There have been rumors circulating recently about an uprising against the government. I've even heard things while in school about people joining some kind of faction to stir trouble. I know that some people don't trust the government, sometimes I don't myself, but have enough people gathered to try and make a difference like that? I'm not sure where I stand on the whole thing, but I know that I feel safe if Mamoru is on the job.

Thinking about the possibility of a war made me a little nervous, and I thought that I should be training more. It was late, and I needed enough rest in case Mamoru would be able to take me to the Caves tomorrow. Sorry for cutting things short Chibiusa!

I've gotta get stronger!

Until then,  
Shinobu 


	6. Entry 5

Dear Diary,

I still havn't heard from Mamoru, I'm getting kind of worried. I got somewhat of a message, telling me to meet someone at the teleporter to the caves. I think it was from Mamoru, but I'm not so sure. I thought maybe he was in a hurry to send me the message, and that's why it lacked important details. When I arrived, Mamoru was nowhere to be found though, instead, there was a creepy black HUcast with a tail...

"It's time for you to challenge the caves...your instructor has delayed you long enough."

His voice was so deep and raspy, it gave me the chills. I couldn't do much else but just nod. Somehow I felt that Mamoru had something to do with this though, otherwise I wouldn't have agreed to any of it.

The caves are really nothing like what was described in our text books. They're much more hot, the gases are much stronger, almost to the point that my burning nose was going to make me cry.

My new HUcast friend was a big help in getting me used to the sharks. He didn't say much, but his tactics in facing them made me realize that they weren't so tough. I held my ground and tried to show as much strength as I would for Mamoru.

I don't know where this HUcast came from, his fighting style was much different than anything taught to us in school too. He was also lacking a Mag and had a tail...or maybe the tail counted as his Mag? I'm not sure, I'm confusing myself again

The deeper caves were much more pleasant. They were more damp, had a cooler temperature, and I was surprised to see that there was even some lush vegitation poking up through various patches on the walls. Strangely enough, the same creatures that endured the smothering heat of the upper caves were able to thrive here as well. The evil Sharks and Grass Assassins scare me the most. Why can't there be anything cute like Rappies down there?

The final area of the caves had the touch of man added to it. I could see the remains of our machines all over the walls. Could this be nearing the enterance to the mines? I've heard that we've mined on Ragol, but what ever for? And why havn't they directly told the public? Is this HUcast taking me to the mines?

"This is as far as we go... your instructor will finish this training on a later date."

I was confused, but just then he created a Telepipe. I told him, "I'm not going back to Pioneer 2 after coming this far!" He didn't agree with my stand though and grabbed the front of my shirt and tossed me inside.

Somehow when I arrived back at town, he was able to close the pipe from his side. I don't know who that HUcast is, but he certainly is rude. Maybe Mamoru can explain things when he gets back...if he's coming back. No! I can't talk like that. I have to believe that there's not a war going on. How could that be on our peaceful star ship? It just can't be. I'm sure Mamoru is just doing some mercenary work or something. I'll hear about it when he gets back.

Until tomorrow Diary. I'm going to study a bit in my room and hopefully Mamoru will return in the morning to continue my training. I'm worried.

Shinobu 


	7. Entry 6

Dear Diary,

Mamoru finally came back! I was really getting worried. He looked really tired when he met me in the student lobby last night. He said that during the weekend he would be off duty, so we could go and finish the basics of my training. "Off duty" ... does that mean there really is a war going on? I don't want to think about that right now.

He did tell me that he was assigned with a team of younger hunters that had just graduated from the academy here. "They're good kids, and they all have their strong points...I'd like to see if I could get you out there though Shinobu" he told me.

"What do you need a team for though? What are you up to?"

"I can't tell you the full details now...maybe when I can trust you a bit more...but we're moving in teams and using the new C.A.R.D. combat system. It's a new technology developed by the government, which takes raw photon energy from...say...a sabre and compresses it into a photon card."

That confused me all right, but he went ahead and showed me one of the cards. "Here...you don't have the equipment on you to bring out the power of the card, so I guess you can have this one. And please don't show it to any of your friends."

"Wow a Rappie!"

I guess he somehow knew that my favorite animal was a Rappie. The card itself is really thin and metallic, and it has all kinds of numbers and parameters on it. I really don't get it . Anyway, Mamoru told me that I couldn't show anyone at all, not even you, so I'll just scan the cool image of the Rappie that's on the card. I'm kind of hurt that he doesn't trust me that much, but maybe I'll gain that eventually. I wouldn't want to cost him his job or anything Even if my friends saw it, they'd just think it was a silly kid's card game anyway.

"We don't use beasts ourselves in combat though, I confiscated that from one of our enemies. Somehow they had used our same technology to compress the photon energy of animals rather than weapons and items."

I'm still confused...

Anyway, I think we're going to train some in the morning. I told him about the weird HUcast, but he didn't have much to say about it. "Yeah, I sent him, and paid him...we probably wont hear from him again. I know him a bit from the past, but you shouldn't concern yourself too much with it" he said.

I'm excited about going down into the caves again, and maybe I'll get to see what was at the end there with Mamoru. I still have a lot of questions for him, and I'm building up my courage to ask him. Momma still wont talk about Presea to me, and I really want to know everything about my instructor. I don't know why...maybe I just want to be Mamoru's friend. There's something about him...something mysterious...it makes him seem sad and lonely. When I get the courage, I'll ask about Presea sometime.

Well, I've got to run now, I'm going to try and compress the photon energy of my DB Saber a bit for tomorrow for a sharper edge. 

Until then,  
Shinobu 


	8. Entry7

Dear Diary,

This morning Mamoru met me at the enterance of the caves to do some training. I did a lot of reading last night and got really excited about it. I even adjusted the photon frequency of my weapons to be stronger against the A. Beast type of monsters that are usually inside of the caves. I hope he's impressed by my studying.

He didn't really have all that much to say to me when he met me though, infact he looked kind of tired. I wonder if he'd been doing any sort of training last night. Momma says "when he's not doing something related to his job, he's always fighting anyway. You can't get that man to sit still for anything! Except for maybe Presea."

Again I wonder about Presea... it's hard to tell what exactly is going on. Momma talks sometimes like Mamoru and Presea are always together, and then the rest of the time she talks like Presea is no longer with us. I'm just curious about the truth, but I don't know how to ask Mamoru about something like that. I wish Momma would be straight forward with me. 

Back to the caves... every time I go in now, I don't feel so scared of the sharks and assassins as much as I used to. Mamoru showed me some great places to strike at them to make them easier to take down. "The sharks have a weak waist, so you should strike there, but be careful if you're using a shorter weapon, if you're not precise with your blow, then you're leaving yourself wide open to lose a limb in their jaws."

He's a great instructor, no wonder Mom and Dad are so great. Dad will deny that though, saying "I never was much of a hunter...I was more interested in the arts and because of that I was never really able to peak my abilities as a force, not like your mother."

"Oh sweetie...you're just trying to flatter me now!"

It's so cute seeing my parents flirt, even at their age...although they aren't that old .;

I wonder what Mamoru and Presea are like together? He doesn't really seem like the romantic type, always so cold and mysterious. Maybe that's Presea's type though...dark...mysterious...you know. I have to admit that it's an attractive quality, but I need some romantic content as well, hehehe.

I havn't thought about romance much since I started school. I just don't know if anyone would like to be with me that much, and besides, studies are more important right? I don't know who I would be with anyway. Sometimes when I talk to Rodney, I get butterflies in my stomach and my heart beats a lot faster. I think I like him, but he seems too good for me. He's handsome, and looks kind of cocky, but at the same time he's really very friendly and open, and very generous too!

Nyah! The caves... I'm so sorry diary, I get side tracked so easily. So we finally got back to the machine looking area, and to the room that the HUcast wouldn't take me in. I was kind of scared, mainly because I have no idea why the HUcast wouldn't take me, was it really that dangerous.

"Okay Shinobu, are you ready? Do you need to go back to town for anything first?" he asked.

"...Mamoru! Do you mind posing for a picture? I just realized that I don't have one of you, I like to have pictures of all of my friends." (I'll bet I sounded like an idiot)

"...You have the worst timing imaginable...you know that?" he laughed, "we're already beat up from fighting now. If you can catch me before I go back on duty tomorrow morning then I'll let you get a good picture."

"It's a deal!"

After that embarassing conversation was over, we finally stepped into the teleporter. "We've been tracking this stray De Rol Le for a while now, it's time we stopped it."

"De Rol Le?"

"They're a species of parasitic beasts that roam the underground streams of the caves. The sharp needle at the end of their tale secretes a poisonous sap that mutates it's victims. The theory at the lab is that the sharks used to be Boomas who had been taken by De Rol Le's sap."

"Mamoru I don't want to be a shark!"

"Don't be rediculous! I wont let it touch us!"

Finally Mamoru activated the teleporter. We rematerialized on a raft, sailing down the underground channel at a high speed. "Ready? He should be able to sense our photon energy and then he'll attack."

"Hoo boy..."

After only a few minutes, I was able to see the huge creature rip out from beneath the water. The beast was a grotesque giant worm, fitted at the head with a giant human looking skull. At the far end, I could see the razor sharp poison needle thrashing through the waves, along with a dozen or so whipping tentacles.

"AIEEEE!"

"Shinobu, calm down..."

How can Mamoru stay so calm in the face of such beasts? Obviously I've got a long way to go until I can call myself a great hunter.

De Rol Le was fast, he quickly caught up to the boat and launched a series of energy blasts at us. "Get down!" Mamoru ordered and took me tumbling to the ground. De Rol Le didn't look very pleased that we dodged his attack, so he leaped into the air high above the raft to try and crush us!

"Now's our chance!"

De Rol Le landed on the raft, but his overgrown skull had become stuck on the cornered edge. Mamoru charged the beast's head, and so did I. "Smash it's skull Shinobu! The only way we can defeat it is if we can pierce it's brain!"

I swung my DB's Saber as hard and as fast as I could, busting off little piece by piece of the beast's skull. Up above, I could see the snakey tentacles slithering around, and at the ends were the poison tipped needles!

"AIEEEE!"

I shreaked as they struck downward, but Mamoru saved me by slicing them out of the way with his sword, the Last Survivor. "Just keep hitting him, I'll keep these things away!" Eventually I smashed a hole at the base of it's skull, where the skull met it's neck. I worked the blade inside quickly and pryed outward. The beast erupted a deep moaning scream as the shattered skull ripped from it's head and bounced off of the raft. By this time, Mamoru was getting overrun by the tentacles.

"There Shinobu! Finish him off!"

I didn't waist any time and quickly jabbed the long blade of my sword into the slimey mouth of the beast. I felt a vibrating crunch and then retracted. The tentacles that swipped at Mamoru quickly slithered away and he was free. "That's it! We've got him!"

De Rol Le's body slid off of the edge of the boat and crashed into the water. He leaped into the air again, perhaps to not yet admit defeat, but it was too late for him. He crashed into the water again and his body was submerged.

"That's it, it's over...great job Shinobu. You see, if you don't get scared, you can do anything. Being strong is one thing, but if you don't have the courage to use that strength, you're nothing."

I'll always remember that, and try not to be so scared when facing such a big enemy. I'm really amazed at what we as newmans can do. We may even be stronger than any beast on Ragol.

We went back to town and imediately Mamoru took me to the Hunter's Guild. He explained what fight I had just won and had my student license altered to allow me permission to investigate the Mines beneath the caves. The government still hires lots of Hunters to investigate them and to collect the missing data that was lost after Pioneer 1's crew dissapeared. Mamoru also says that it's a great place to train. The machine factories deep in the mines are still automated and still manufacture android security drones to secure the place. The governments goal is to find the machine A.I. and destroy it to prevent the further manufacturing of the drones. I'll look more into it myself and ask some people around the Hunter's Guild about it.

"I don't want you to enter the Mines until you've gained a few more levels Shinobu. It's an interesting place to see, but also very dangerous. So my next assignment as your instructor, is for you to level five more times and then begin your investigation of the caves."

Five more times?

Of course I didn't say that to Mamoru though, he knows best after all, so I'm going to continue training in the Caves and VR environment back at the dorm. He goes back on duty tomorrow, so I need to get some good sleep now in order to get up early enough to get the picture.

I'll let you know how that goes tomorrow diary, until then!

Shinobu 


	9. Entry 8

Dear Diary,

I overslept and missed Mamoru this morning! Dangit! I wonder if you have any sort of alarm function on you anywhere. I know I don't know how to operate the alarm clock behind my bed at the dorm. It's too confusing . The dorm manager said we might be getting room mates at some point, so maybe she can help me with that if that happens, hehe.

I'm sorry to have missed Mamoru without saying good bye though. I'm still worried that he might be getting in some kind of major trouble. He's good though, and he should be safe. I'm amazed at everything that he knows. 

I'm going to go ahead and get to work on my new assignment today. I think I'll just go for the VR training though. I'm not up for the heat of the caves. I've not used VR much either, they say it's just like real life. What they do is they break down your photon energy, just like you were being teleported, but they reassemble your photons in an artificial environment, so it's like you're really there!

Sorry to cut this short Diary, I'm gonna get on it now. I feel excited today, maybe I'll even meet some new friends at the VR center. I'll tell you about it later.

Until then,  
Shinobu 


	10. Entry 9

Dear Diary,

I finally finished Mamoru's assignment! I rose five more levels while training all day in the VR center. I havn't been able to explore the mines though, something bad happened and I've been at the hospital, I'll tell you what happened...

First off, I met a new friend at the VR center. Her name is Marle, she's a RAcaseal with a cute pink body. She's one of the older models so you can still tell that she's a machine, but it's so cute though. She doesn't like the newer, more human looking models. "Why would I want that? Why would I want to hide my heritage?" she says.

Anyway, after we introduced ourselves, she chose the settings for our VR training. The environment she chose was very pretty, it looked like an ancient temple, and from the windows you could see the ocean stretch out forever. "I love this place, it helps me to think, but watch out for the enemies though, if they catch you sight seeing they'll take advantage" she warned.

The VR environment was really interesting. In it I saw a mixture of creatures from my previous visits to Ragol, from both the forest and the underground caves. I guess with the VR environment they can recreate these creatures in the same environment, where as in the real world they could not survive in one another's.

Marle is a very skilled warrior. She was taking long range shots with a rifle, which allowed me to get in close to strike with my sabre. Team work makes a big difference in these situations, that's something that Mamoru hasn't shown me yet. I guess that's because he's such a higher level than me and I wouldn't get any experience.

We were doing just great until we reached one of the larger halls. The room quickly filled with man enemies, from Rappies to cave Lilies to a few strange new beasts, Dimenians.

"Be careful Shinobu, they're laying it on us now!"

"I will! ...Nyah!"

We fought and fought, but the enemies just kept piling in from the outside rooms. This is where the trouble started. We were able to exterminate the lilies and rappies with no problem. However the Dimenians took several hits to kill and gave chase after the initial strike. Eventually I got cornered by about 4 of them. I had to quickly defend each strike and stab at them only when an opening arose, I was stuck and separated from Marle. 

Meanwhile, Marle was having problems of her own. A hildebear, a hulking bipedal creature covered with fur, had leaped across the barrier from another room, probably catching a whiff of our scent. I could see Marle firing shots, but they just werent enough to slow down the Hildebear and soon it had her cornered.

I was down to one last Dimenian, they were tough and I was about to be knocked out. I saw what was going on with the Hildebear so I just couldn't fool around with this enemy any longer. Quickly I lunged forward with a straight-lined stab and pierced the mid section of of the Dimenian. I don't know how angry or scared I was, but somehow I was able to drive the Dimenian to the floor and pierce the stone wall with my DB's Saber. Now he was pinned to the wall with my Saber, I could finally get to Marle!

"Shinobu!" she called out to me. I hurried as fast as I could but the Hildebear had already grabbed her with it's large hand. I froze with fear as it lifted her into the air. It's hand was absolutely enormous, covering almost all of her body.

"Let her GO!"

The beast turned it's head towards me and it's nostrils flared. I'm a newman, so I suppose I have a more tasty smell than an android. He was tired of playing with Marle now and decided it was time to finish her off. I screamed, I was so scared, and I had lost my weapon, how stupid of me. The Hildebear swung it's long arm outward, holding Marle out by her ankles. Her body smashed against one of the tall stone columns, shattering at the mid section.

"MARLE!"

Her upper body landed a distance from the Hildebear but her legs fell close. The room was showered by the glistening pink fragments of her shattered frame. The beast was cruel, and couldn't be reasoned with, clearly I was next. It made its way over to me quickly and was ready to rare back it's arm to smash. I had no weapon, what could I do?

"Mamoru...I'm sorry...I wasn't any better than this..."

I closed my eyes, waiting for the final blow, but instead I heard the swing of a saber and the toppling rumble of the Hildebear's mass.

"This session is over! Clearly you girls have the difficulty level set too high" a new hunter said. His name was Landel, one of the VR instructors. I guess they were monitoring the situation and sent him in to save us.

He started lecturing me, but I really wasn't paying attention. I bursted into tears and ran as fast as I could to where Marle landed.

"Marle!" I didn't know what else to say, I just wrapped my arms around her frame and pulled her close. Tears streamed down her cheeks, the same color and the same hurt that was in mine. I didn't know that androids could cry.

"It...it hurts..." she panted.

I really don't remember much else after that. I just felt so emotional. I picked her up myself and ran as fast as I could back through the ruins and to the transporter. Landel was behind us, but really it seemed as though he didn't care much. I don't care if Marle is an android, her tears are real and her pain is real, therefore, she is real.

The nurses were much nicer than the VR people and knew just what to do with Marle. They told me to come back in six hours or so and they would have everything patched up. I didn't go home though, I waited in the waiting room the whole time. A few people told me to go home, that "she's just an android" but I wouldn't listen. She's not just an android, she's my friend.

Eventually they said they would have to let her recover over night, but I was able to see her in her room during visiting hours before they closed them. 

"Hey...I'm really glad you're okay...I was worried."

"It's okay...it still hurts quite a bit, but I'll be fine with some rest. They told me that you waited in the lobby for me this whole time...thank you. I've never known anyone to care so much."

"I couldn't just go home after that, you're my friend and I care about you."

I could feel that we were both getting emotional again, I don't know why, I love to have a good cry though.

"A lot of people still lack respect for androids, they think we're just machines. The government has even acknowledged that we are real people, but some people still hold their beliefs from before the android cleansings."

"Android cleansings?"

"I guess they don't really talk about it anymore at school...since there are so many android students. The instructors are sensitive about it, because they were the ones who defended the androids the most when the people attacked."

I was getting confused, or maybe just really curious.

"Ask your instructor about it sometime, he'll explain."

"All right girls, visiting hours are up!" the nurse called in to us.

We exchanged guild cards and phone numbers and all before I had to leave. But Landel met me at the door before I was able to leave the hospital. "I'm going to report todays events to both of your instructors. I'll give them every detail so they can advise you on how to avoid the situation next time. I would punish you if you were my student, but I'll leave that option to them."

I'm not really worried about it. If Mamoru feels that a punishment is in order, then I'll gladly take it. I have that much respect for my instructor because he knows what's right. Well I guess I should go ahead and end this entry diary, it's almost time for class. 

I hope I see Marle in the lobby again soon, I love making new friends!

Bai bai Shinobu 


End file.
